


True Colors

by GoringWriting



Category: White Collar
Genre: Hurt Neal Caffrey, M/M, POV Neal Caffrey, Rape/Non-con Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-10
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-10-13 15:47:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20585009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoringWriting/pseuds/GoringWriting
Summary: In a world where meeting your soulmate allows you to see in color and long separations from your soulmate causes you to lose color vision. Neal has finally begun to lose his own color vision. What will happen when the FBI finds out?





	True Colors

Neal first noticed that he was losing color when Peter asked him which tie he should wear with his suit and Neal couldn't figure out what color his suit was.

He played it off and told Peter that it was a question that his wife should answer. Peter had given him an odd look but gone off in search of Elisabeth and Neal has breathed a sigh of relief.

The second time he was with Mozzie. He was getting dressed for work and Mozzie had looked at him and Neal could tell from his face that he had done something wrong.

Turns out somehow a pair of grey pants had been out with a blue jacket. Mozzie knew right away what was happening. So had Neal, he just hadn't wanted to accept it.

He has spent too long apart from his soulmate.

When Neal had met him it was like the whole world had exploded into color. Before that he had had to rely on Mozzie, who doesn't have a soulmate and therefore could see in perfect color, to help him decide on colors for his forgeries. It had been a perfect system. He and Mozzie had worked better than actual soulmates most of the time. Neal didn't need to see color, Mozzie was his eyes.

Then he met his soulmate and the world was awash in color and Neal had been knocked off his feet. He could finally see what Mozzie called blue and he could see each individual shade and it was magical.

Neal had been worried when he left him. Worried that the color would vanish. The experts all said it took awhile to lose color vision after separating from your soulmate. But, if you didn't see them you would slowly go colorblind again. 

If Neal wasn't working with the FBI this wouldn't be a problem. As far as the criminal world knows he doesn't have a soulmate and can't see in color. So, he wouldn't have anything to explain and he would be able to work with Moz again. But Peter knows he can see color. He'd need to explain why he no longer can.

And that would send him back to prison. Neal can't have that.

He does a good job of faking it. It's not all color that vanishes just some and more as time goes by. When he can't con his answer he deflects it onto another person. Like he had done with Peter's tie.

But he can't fake it forever and he's in a conference room when he's asked to open up the pink folder and all the folders look gray.

He eyes the others and they are all looking at him and he realizes they know. His chest constricts but he forces himself to breathe and smiles.

"What? Is me opening folders some kind of weird thing you all find interesting?"

"Neal," Peter says.

"I mean I'm not judging but..."

"Neal, how long has your color vision been gone?" Peter asks and Neal's words die in his throat.

"It's been going in and out for a month," Neal admits.

"Have you seen a doctor? Had them run tests on your eyes? Maybe there's a surgery," Peter says and Neal rubs his face. Peter thinks his sight issues is natural.

"It's... they're not going to be able to... It's not that kind of..." Neal says and he hears Diana say something about soulmates and Peter's face falls.

"Kate? Shouldn't you have lost it immediately?" He asks because with a dead soulmate you lose color immediately none of this slow torture.

"I wish she was," Neal says.

"Then who?" Peter asks and Neal shakes his head.

"Doesn't matter. No way am I going back to them. Not even for my color sight back. Mozzie and I managed without it. We'll do it again," Neal says.

"Neal, you couldn't even tell me that all the folders were blue. How are you going to forge paintings for operations if you don't have access to Mozzie. Tell me who your soulmate is," Peter says.

"You don't want to know," Neal says.

"Try me," Peter says.

"Keller!" Neal blurts out and claps a hand over his mouth, eyes wide. This whole situation must be knocking him off his game.

"Keller? As in Matthew Keller? The man who kidnapped me and El? That Matthew Keller?" Peter asks and Neal nods.

"I don't see the problem. Just stick the two in the prison visitor room for ten minutes and done," Jones says.

"That's not how it works. I have to...to be with him like a soulmate is supposed to be. Romantically or sexually," Neal says.

"Romantically?"

"Cooking, cuddling, dates, random activities. Everything you do with a significant other that is not sex. Though sex is the fastest way to get sight back," Neal says, the idea of either of those actions making him sick. He can't do that to Mozzie.

"So you have to sleep with him and you'll be okay for how long?" Diana asks.

"I don't know. It took years for the symptoms to happen. But I think the sight thing is why Matt showed up with the bottle. To test the waters to see if I would come back. His sight must have been going grey. I knew he was acting weird," Neal says.

"Why hasn't he said anything in prison? He must be seeing the effects too by now?"

"He wants to force my hand. Have me be forced to tell you. Not only that my vision is going, but that I have a soulmate, he is a he, and that it's Keller. By keeping quiet he's forced me to reveal four of my most closely guarded secrets," Neal says.

"Well clearly we don't care if you're dating a man or woman," Diana says.

"Technically I'm dating Mozzie," Neal says and Diana passes Jones a five dollar bill.

"You bet on his dating life?" Peter says exasperated.

"So what's the plan? We can't take him to Keller. We're definitely not bringing Keller out. And his vision is going faster now," Jones says.

“I don’t know, I have to talk to The Brass on this,” Peter says.

“Great so I’ll be colorblind and in prison,” Neal says grabbing his suit jacket and leaving the conference room.

“Neal, where are you going?” Peter calls after him.

“Home, if I am going to go back to prison I want to spend my last days with Mozzie,” Neal says and goes home. Mozzie takes one look at his face and knows what happened.

“The suit found out,” he says simply and Neal nods.

“Peter is going to talk to the Brass, which means I’m going back to prison more than likely,” Neal says softly.

“Do we need to run?” Mozzie asks and Neal shakes his head. 

“Not yet, I want to see if they actually come up with any useful ideas to fix this,” Neal says.

“You know they’re probably going to stick you and Keller in a room and hope you sleep together,” Mozzie mutters.

“I won’t do that. I don’t cheat on the people I love,” Neal says.

“And I don’t want you to throw away a chance to get your sight back over an archaic societal structure that requires forced monogamy to show love,” Mozzie says.

“Yet you swore that you would never cheat on me,” Neal says.

“Because monogamy means something to you,” Mozzie says and Neal smiles. 

“I doubt Keller would just let them make the two of you sleep together. He doesn’t need his color vision to do what he does. He can just hire someone to do his art forgeries,” Mozzie says.

“I am not going to sleep with him. I’d go back to prison first,” Neal says arms crossed over his chest. Mozzie smiles and kisses his cheek shyly. 

“If you don’t want to that’s fine, but if this is coming from some fear you have of hurting me, don’t. I know how much you love color. How much you’ll miss it. I would rather you have that back then sacrifice it,” Mozzie says.

“Thanks Moz...I know that I don’t want to have to see Keller again, but I also know that I need to if I want to have my vision back. It’s all just a mess,” Neal says and sits next to him and leans his head on his shoulder.

“How long do you think it’ll be before the Brass tells me to sleep with Keller?” Neal asks.

“I think you mean how long is the Suit going to fight it before he has to tell you that’s what they’re going to do,” Mozzie says and Neal groans and closes his eyes.

The next day he walks into the FBI building and heads straight up to the floor and sits at the desk. He can feel people’s eyes on him and he can see Jones looking at him with an expression that he doesn’t like. Then Peter comes down and Neal really has a bad feeling.

“Peter, what’s going on?” Neal asks as one of the security guards talks in his walkie talkie. Neal catches something about a transport, and entering the lobby and Neal looks at Peter betrayed. There can be only one thing that’s about to happen and Neal is not going to wait for it to happen.

“Neal,” Peter says warningly.

“Neal,” another voice says and they turn to see Mozzie there.

“Mrs. Suit told me what was supposed to happen. I’m here for moral support,” he says.

“I don’t need moral support. Whatever half baked plan the FBI has come up with doesn’t matter. I’m not going through with it. I’m getting out of here and I hope Elizabeth makes you sleep on the couch for a month for this,” Neal snaps.

“Wow, Caffrey, good to know the FBI hasn’t taken all your bite,” a voice says and Neal glares at Peter before turning to look at Keller. He’s standing there in his prison jumpsuit, handcuffs around his wrists and shackles on his ankles.

“Keller, orange is definitely your color,” Neal says and Mozzie stands in front of him protectively. Neal smiles, of course Mozzie would try to protect him.

“So, who are you trying to replace me with now? Alex? Sara? Have you actually gotten into bed with the FBI? Kate can’t be it, but you could still be holding a candle for her,” Keller asks and Mozzie steps forward and Neal hauls him back. 

“Ah, the sidekick,” Keller says.

“Enough Matt. It’s not replacing you when I dumped you and never thought about you again,” Neal says.

“And look where that got you. The FBI’s lap dog, chained to New York, your girlfriend dead, and now you’re an art forger who can’t see color,” Keller says.

“I managed without color long before you came into my life. All I need is Mozzie,” Neal says giving his boyfriend a smile.

“And yet the FBI offered me ten years off my sentence to sleep with you,” Keller says and Neal works very hard to keep his face blank. 

“Oh, sorry to have wasted your time. But I would rather go back to prison than sleep with you,” Neal says.

“Even when every inmate from here to Jersey now knows that you are in bed with the FBI? Snitches don’t really last long in there Neal, I gotta say,” Keller says and Neal grips the back of Mozzie’s shirt.

“I’ll take my chances,” Neal says.

“No chance about it. There are groups in prison fighting over who gets first crack. I would be surprised if you last an hour without my help,” Keller says.

“I do not want your protection,” Neal says.

“But you do need it. Either way you’ll need me. Whether you want to stay out of prison or if you do end up in prison,” Keller says.

“Neal I need to talk to you,” Peter says and Neal feels himself being pulled into Peter’s office and the curtains close.

“Neal…”

“Don’t Peter! You couldn’t have given me a call this morning? Said, hey Neal, Keller is going to be here today and the Brass want you to sleep with him so the FBI can keep using your skills. Well I am sorry Peter but this isn’t how this works. If you try to coerce me to sleep with him Mozzie will go to the press and I don’t have to tell you that forced and coerced sex is rape, even if I would ever consent to this,” Neal says.

“Neal, listen to me. I don’t like it any more than you do. But The Brass’ word is final. Either sleep with him or go to prison,” Peter says.

“Can I have a minute to think about it?” Neal asks.

“I’ll be right outside,” Peter says and steps up into the bullpen. Neal sits at Peter’s desk and closes his eyes and sends a text to Mozzie and pulls a bottle of pills out of his pocket and downs them as quickly as he can. He sits there and waits. Mozzie will understand the text and know what Neal is doing.

He’s busy floating away when he hears the door bang open and then there are hands on him and he’s being moved to the hospital.

He opens his eyes when he hears Mozzie humming in his ear. He’s been in the emergency room for a few days, in and out of consciousness.

“Hey. How’s it going?” Neal asks.

“Perfectly, the FBI has been fielding calls from the press for the last three days. Ever since a leak revealed their plan. You have a lawsuit filed against the City and your ankle monitor was cut off so they could get an IV in the proper position. Now, I suggest we sneak out at the shifting of the nurses. I just found out that the Nurse who will be taking over here was out for the last couple of days. She doesn’t know your face. So, I say we get you dressed and when she takes over we leave. Then it’s a quick hop to the plane I have ready and waiting. Are you sure this is what you want to do? There will be no second chance to meet with Keller. We do this and your color vision is gone for good,” Moz says.

“I appreciate this Moz, but I have never been more sure of anything in my life,” Neal says and they get him dressed and Neal slips his wrist out of the cuffs they have keeping him to the bed. 

“They didn’t post a guard?” Neal asks when he and Mozzie step into the hall.

“A plant,” Mozzie says and they walk right out the front door of the hospital with all the other visitors.

Neal pulls on a hoodie and puts the hood up over his head and Mozzie puts on a wig and they make their way to the plane that Mozzie always has ready to go. Neal climbs in. He’d left his phone in the hospital, no need to give Peter the ability to track him. His hands go to the pocket of the hoodie where his wallet and new ID are and finds a piece of paper there. 

Neal looks at Mozzie and then opens it.

Neal,

I’m pretty sure that if you are reading this then my hunch was right and you’re leaving. I cannot imagine what is going through your head and what you’re going through right now. I don’t think anyone ever will. I was lucky, my soulmate was the love of my life. But you shouldn’t be forced to compromise your autonomy just because yours was not.

I’m sorry that Peter had to be the one that told you. I’m also sorry that he didn’t give you any warning beforehand. You should have seen him when he got the orders. He nearly trashed the house. But that doesn’t change that he should have told you instead of springing it on you in the FBI building.

Peter has been busy fighting the Brass, trying to get you something better, anything better. But, it isn’t going well. He hasn’t told me anything but I can see it on his face. He doesn’t want to admit it but I know that he thinks that you would be better off running for it. I also know that suicide would never actually be your plan. So, I figured that Mozzie would be breaking you out soon. And when he asked me if I had any clothes to donate to charity I stuck this note in a hoodie in your size. 

I wish you well. Good luck. Enjoy your life with Mozzie, the two of you are cute together.

Love, 

Elizabeth Burke

Neal tears the note into tiny pieces and holds them in his hand. He can scatter them when they are over water. No reason to get Elizabeth in trouble.

“Last chance Neal. Are you sure that you want to do this?” Mozzie asks.

“Yes,” Neal says and they take off into the air, New York disappearing behind them.

Months later it is in Paris that Neal’s color vision finally goes away completely. At least he got to see the City of Lights one final time in color.

Not that he misses color all that much. Sure he needs Mozzie to tell him if his apple is red, yellow, or green and he has to watch people to see if the street is safe to cross and he’ll have a harder time driving.

But Mozzie loves him and will spend hours describing whatever it is that they are looking at in vivid color detail. 

Sure Keller gave him color, but Mozzie adds color to his life that nothing can ever take away.


End file.
